The present invention relates to a knee protector, particularly for use in athletic endeavors. More particularly, the present invention is directed to a knee protector which includes pads at selected areas surrounding the knee cap and are slidably disposed in use from a standing position to a bending condition.
Knee protectors are well known for use by athletes in participation of sports wherein the knee area of the athlete experiences contact with the ground or floor in which the athletic endeavor is occurring. There have been a number of devices proposed for the protection of the knee or the knee cap, but many of these devices either do not provide adequate protection for the knee or knee cap when it comes into contact with the ground or the floor or is extremely cumbersome to the wearer in moving from an upright or standing or moving condition to a bending condition, such as that of a catcher in baseball or softball or a goalie in hockey. For example, in many knee protectors or knee pads, rubbing movements produced between the cushioned or padded areas and the skin is produced upon the bending of the knee. This is due to the fact that the knee experiences an extension in front portion of the knee between the thigh on the one hand and the shin bone on the other. That is, the knee area is lengthened upon the bending of the knee and shortened upon an extension of the knee. The materials used for cushioning or padding generally have elastomeric properties, but the elasticity of the materials do not completely compensate for this extension in the knee area. Moreover, the continuous relative movements of the bending of the knee can cause the padding to slip into positions in which protection for the knee area is substantially reduced.